Health Department

The Health Department is committed to ensuring the health of West Milwaukee residents by providing the following services:

Public Health Nurses and Community Health Screening Technicians provide health screenings, counseling, communicable disease control, and referral to community resources, in a variety settings for infants, children and adults; dental health services; health educators offer health care education programs on a variety of topics; and environmental health services include compliance inspections, complaint investigations, and lead poisoning prevention.

Many health programs are funded through grants provided by the State of Wisconsin, Department of Health and Social Services.

Community Health Services

The West Allis Health Department provides a generalized public health nursing program as required under Wisconsin Administrative Rules. The Community Health Services Division is staffed by public health nurses, community health technicians, public health specialists and nutritionists. Services are provided to residents across the entire age spectrum. Services are either mandated by the State or as a result of needs identified through the Community Assessment or the Community Health Improvement Plan.

Dental Health Screening

The Dental Health program provides dental screening, education, and preventative care for low income, uninsured children. Preventative care includes the application of sealants and dental varnish on children’s teeth.

Lead Screening Data and Lead Poisoning Prevention

Children are routinely screened for lead poisoning when they are approximately 12 months old. The West Allis Health Department screens any children who have not previously been tested. The West Allis Health Department receives lead results on all children in West Allis or West Milwaukee. In 2011, 99.2% of children in West Allis/West Milwaukee had a lead result within normal limits. Only 0.8% of the children had an elevated lead level.

Vision/Hearing Screening

Vision and hearing screening are done for students in select grades in all public and private schools. Screening is also done if requested by parents or school staff.

Women Infants and Children (WIC) Program

West Milwaukee families in need should enroll in our WIC program. WIC staff works with the WM Lion’s Club members to provide Thanksgiving food baskets to families in need.

Telephone Consultation

A public health nurse is available by telephone to answer questions and assist residents with their health concerns and accessing needed care/services.

Home Visits by a Public Health Nurse

We continue to offer free home visits for prenatal care coordination, newborn/postpartum assessment, child development screening, and elderly case management to all West Milwaukee families. We receive referrals to visit families primarily from hospitals, physician offices, school district staff, and individuals themselves wanting public health nursing services.

School Health

Public Health Nurses are assigned to public and private schools in West Allis/West Milwaukee to act as a consultant to faculty, staff, parents and students on health issues.

First Breath Program

We initiated a new smoking cessation program, First Breath, for all pregnant women enrolled in our WIC program. Women enrolled in the First Breath program are offered education and support for smoking cessation throughout their pregnancies.

Health Promotoras

In response to a growing Hispanic population in West Milwaukee and West Allis, the Health Department has trained four (4) Spanish-speaking community members as community health workers. They have partnered with the administration at Pershing Elementary School and work to bridge cultural and language gaps between school district staff and Spanish-speaking families.

Health Education

This program provides classes, activities and community education to promote healthy options to enable residents to live productive lives.

The Health Commissioner or his or her agent may enter into and examine any place in the Village of West Milwaukee to ascertain health conditions and may order abatement of the nuisance, if one exists.

The Environmental Health division conducts routine and investigative inspections of all food establishments in West Milwaukee. If you are a business owner thinking about opening a food establishment, the Environmental Health Staff has created a packet to help guide you through the process. If you would like to open a new food establishment, or have a valid food-related complaint you may contact the City of West Allis Environmental Health staff at 414-302-8600, Monday-Friday 8am-5pm.

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Filing a Food-Related Complaint:

All valid food-related complaints will be addressed directly by the City of West Allis Health Department, or forwarded to the appropriate agency for follow up.

For complaints regarding restaurants, grocery stores or other retail establishments, you can file your complaint in two ways;

Contact the health department at 414-302-8600, Monday-Friday 8am-5pm.

Please realize our staff is in the field for portions of the day, it is best to contact them prior to 9:30am, or between 4:00pm – 5:00pm.

Please realize that contact information (your name and a daytime phone number) are required, so that we can obtain the appropriate information prior to an investigation of the complaint. And, to keep you informed of any follow up regarding your complaint.

IMPACT provides the means for people to take the first step toward regaining stability.

IMPACT 2-1-1 is a central access point for people in need. During times of personal crisis or community disaster, the free, confidential helpline and online resource directory make it easy for residents to get connected to information and assistance.